My favorite enchiladas recipe

I'm a huge lover of Mexican food.  I really could eat it EVERY.SINGLE.DAY!!!!  However, I have a husband that has an opinion about this and it's not the same as mine.

I'm a slightly obsessed HUGE fan of Ree Drummond (a.k.a the Pioneer Woman) and have made several of her recipes and have loved them all.  So trust me, there will be more of her recipes that I share on here.....I've warned ya!  But because I'm a lover of Mexican food (did I say that already?) I had to post this recipe.  If you haven't made it yet, just do it.  You won't regret it. Here is the recipe:

Pioneer Woman's enchiladas

Although, I've made this several times, it takes me forever to make.  Like most recipes, that I cook I will double and triple check the list of ingredients and instructions just to make sure it's right.  I'm not the best cook so when I'm tackling a new (or even one I've made a few times) it takes awhile.  But it's worth it in the end.....well, at least in my opinion :)

Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Recap of our weekend

As I mentioned before my sister and nephew were able to fly up from Florida for the weekend. I had not seen them since Christmas when me & the kids went to visit. Jacob has been asking for months to see his cousin and I'm so glad we were able to get them up here.

They flew up Friday night and their flight was delayed a little but it was still late when we finally made it home. Saturday morning we got the kids up, dressed and fed and headed out for some shopping. We had to agree to let the kids swim in the pool to get to Old Navy and I think some where along the way I bribed them with cupcakes.  These cupcakes! 

Just maybe that bribe had a little something to do with my obsession with cupcakes.  I'm not talking about the package of 12 you can pick up at the local grocery store that may or may not  have been sitting out for days.  I'm talking about the kind of cupcakes that are freshly made each morning with yummy flavors and delicious frosting!!!!  I swear these are worth every inch of fat that appears on my body after eating one of these! Trust me when I say that these were the perfect ending to the yummy Mexican lunch we had 15 minutes prior.  I had guests in town.....who am I to deny them good food.  That would just be rude!

We made it back home and we stuck the kids in the pool and set up the slip-n-slide.  Of course the 90 pound dog we own enjoyed the slip-n-slide more than the kids.  They sure don't make those like they did when I was a little kid.  When I was younger (oh Lordy, I sound like my dad) they were more like a big yellow tarp.  This one was more like a thin piece of tissue paper. **This is the only pic I have of Jacob in the pool (this one is at our neighbor's house.....

 Our princess in her own kiddie pool :)

That night we cooked dinner, got the kids cleaned and put them to bed.  They were so tired and you know what happens when kids are tired.  Meltdowns start to happen and I really wasn't in the mood since I had just opened a (well deserved) very cold Bud Light and was very ready to just have quiet.  My sister and I ended up watching Bridezillas until 11 pm but that is a story for another time.  Really, the train wreck of a show called Bridezillas just needs a separate post ;)  It's just one of my many, many guilty pleasures.

Last day they were here we had to go back into town to get some pictures developed and hit Cracker Barrel. And then sent the boys back outside to burn off some energy.  Looking for ladybugs and playing football took up a bit of the afternoon, along with Bakugan and dinosaur playing :)

Sorry about the dead plant in the picture.  No, really I'm not.  I'm just feeling too lazy to crop the picture to not show it.  Just keeping it real. ;)

Despite having to get up so early this morning to take them to the airport we were sad to see them go and we miss them already!  Jacob has asked many times today when we can head down to Florida to see them again.  Trust me son, I wish we could pack up today and be there! 

Here is another pic of the boys just playing around.....wish we lived closer!

Memorial Day

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!!!

Please remember all those who have served our great country!  If you see a veteran or a military service member please thank them for all they do.  God bless our military!!! God bless the USA!!!

A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.  — Joseph Campbell

It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived. — General George S. Patton

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty. -John F. Kennedy

Swagger Wagon

I was just reading The Busy Pepper Mill blog and saw the video to the Swagger Wagon video.  I actually saw this a couple of weeks ago and shared it on my Facebook page and thought it was hilarious!!!!  Brilliant except that I just can't be persuaded to purchase a mini-van..  Nope.  Can't do it even though the parents make it look cool.  Here is the link to the video:

Swagger Wagon

Enjoy!

Yea!! A surprise for Jacob!

I've been waiting and waiting for my sister and her son to come back up here to see us and FINALLY they made it!  I've missed them so much!!  And so has Jacob.....and Addison, well, she has no clue!

I decided that having them come up here would be a big surprise for Jacob and thank goodness I found out just a couple of days ago that they were able to come up here.  Because if I had to wait anymore I would have never been able to keep my mouth shut!  I have a love/hate relationship for surprises and this was killing me.  Poor kid talked about his surprise for days and up until we arrived at the airport he truly thought it was a toy from Target.  I'm training him right and his daddy hates it!

So we get to the airport and the first thing he asks is if the surprise is his Daddy coming home :(  I knew this question was going to come so I made sure to tell him from the get go it wasn't going to be daddy.  Then he looked at me with a VERY serious look and said "Tell me we ARE NOT picking up crawfish!!!"  I seriously about wet my pants it was so funny!

Several months ago, we had a crawfish boil at our home (hubby is from Louisiana) and we have them shipped from Louisiana to the airport.  Jacob went with hubby last time to get them.  I don't eat them, I think they are nasty, dirty and foul but that is a story for another day.  And trust me I have some stories about crawfish and our parties ;)

The look on Jacob's face when he saw his cousin was priceless!  He is thrilled and was NON-stop giggles and talk on the hour ride home.  But he is excited and loves him and it makes it all worth it!

I'll post some pics in a little while.  It's way too early right now for me to get up and find my camera.  I'm lucky I was able to share this much with only a half of cup of coffee!

Graduation

Last night was Jacob's graduation from preschool.  Bittersweet!  He spent the last 3 years at this school and everything about the school is amazing!

He learned so much and has grown by leaps and bounds!  We are so proud of him and so excited that he is starting Kindergarten so soon!

And as his big surprise for graduation he is getting a BIG surprise!!!  We are flying his aunt Virginia and his cousin Isaiah up for the weekend.  He is going to be SHOCKED!!!!!!!!!!!  Pictures of the weekend to follow soon but for now here is a pic from last night.  I'll post more later.

My kiddos

This is my sweet son, Jacob........

.

 He is a spitting image of his Daddy and has one of the kindest souls I've ever met.  He is a lover of all things dinosaurs, Hot Wheels and Monster Trucks.  He loves his sister and mommy and idolizes his Daddy :) 

Jacob will be 5 in just a few months and lately he has been reminding me about this  - A LOT.  I know he is so excited since there are so many fun things he is going to be able to do once this magic age arrives.  The biggest event will be Kindergarten!!  He has been talking about Kindergarten for months now and as the end of preschool nears I'm hearing more and more about Kindergarten.  I'm truly excited for him to start "big" school but as his mommy I can't help but to want him to stay little FOREVER!!!!



When Daddy is deployed Jacob is the man of the house ;)  And he does his best to take care me and his sister Addison by holding doors open for us (sometimes), letting the ladies go first (but only when it's dark in the garage before I open the garage door) and killing bugs for us.  Which is very important!



And this is Addison.......

She is our 1 year old princess and the complete opposite of Jacob in every way possible.  hahaha  She is beautiful, sweet, and loves to snuggle.  However........she keeps me on my toes.....everyday and all day! 

We are still waiting on her to grow some hair  I have way too many bows that need to be put to some good use! 

And even though he isn't my kid - I love him so I needed to throw in a pic of the man I love

This pic was taken on Addison's first birthday.  I love this picture!  I love him!  I love these kiddos! 

This time I promise......

to keep up with this blog!! 


It's been WAY TOO LONG since I've written and really there is no other excuse except that I've been lazy.  Or perhaps I've been really busy with 2 active kiddos.  *wink*


I've been working very hard at updating the look of my blog and trying to add some personality to it.  I have found some great backgrounds at www.shabbyblogs.com and at this time it's a work in progress until I get it just right.  In the meantime, I'm having fun playing around with it!

I also hope to add some fun things to my blog like crafts (that I'm attempting) and recipes that I love (and have had SOME success with)  Wish me luck! 

For now, I'm off to bed.  It's been a long day with the little man and our princess.....I need to regroup!